Washington (CNN) - As Washington watches and prays for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, it remains a time of herculean issues and complex debate. Yes, we know it's a new, Republican House, but what did they actually do in their first week? There is a significant list, filled with change and easy-to-miss tricks.

Listen here or read below to see our breakdown.
This week, in the podcast we also look at how to erase government debt. We analyze, piece by piece, how one town government took car of a looming $1 million deficit. Finally, we check-in with a woman trapped in the maze of loan modification. If you want to understand the foreclosure mess, listen.

So, what did Congress do last week?

Senate: This is easy. The Senate met for one day (Wednesday) and then adjourned until January 24th. The battle is staged for a debate on the filibuster, but first, the Senate went back home.

The House: Three main things happened. Republicans changed House rules. The House voted to cut is spending. And lawmakers opened up the next health care debate. Let's get into specifics.

1. Rules changes.

Overall, Republicans made some 53 changes to the rules last week. Here are the most significant ones.

– The thee-day rule: It was a Democratic pledge (yes, it was broken), now it is an official House rule. Non-committee bills must be posted three days before the House votes on them.

– Committees: Must now post vote results within 48 hours, make text of bills/amendments available and provide both audio and video of meetings.

– "Cut as you go": Any proposal with a cost attached must cut that same amount of spending from elsewhere in the federal budget. Differs from Democrats "Pay-Go" because Democrats allowed members to propose tax or fee increases to pay for their bills.

Loophole alert: Republicans exempted the Bush tax cuts, a fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax and current estate tax levels from this requirement. The GOP does not consider tax cuts "spending." They argue it is money that belongs to taxpayers. However, by allowing tax cuts to happen without finding the money to compensate for them, this policy could add trillions of dollars to the national debt. Republicans have not yet said how they would offset the decrease in revenues specifically but say they believe that lower taxes boost the economy.

– Must vote on the debt: The new rules eviscerate the so-called "Gephardt Rule," which allowed congressmen to raise the national debt as a side effect of voting on other, budget legislation. Now House members will have to vote separately on whether to raise the debt. (Note: the U.S. is expected to hit the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling in early April or May.)

– Budget "super tsar": The rules give unprecedented power to House Budget Chair Paul Ryan, R-WI. He can now write the budget proposal on his own, without a vote from his committee.

2. Spending cut

The House voted 410-13 Thursday to cut its own office budgets 5 percent. The Appropriations Committee, known for its beefier staff and budget, will be cut 9 percent.

– Amount Saved: $35 Million.

– Cut per Congressman: About $75,000 or the equivalent of one staff member.

The House voted 236-181 Friday to hold a least a day of debate on repealing the health care law, known as the Affordable Care Act. This sets up another eyeball-to-eyeball vote on the law, possibly next week.

Four Democrats voted with Republicans on the procedural vote Friday and are expected to vote for repeal itself.

soundoff(4 Responses)

Monster Zero

Sounds like a really good start! Watch as this piece of legislative nightmare is dismantled for the piece of crap it is. Throw out the bad and keep the good, very simple once you get the "special interests" out of the way.

January 10, 2011 01:52 pm at 1:52 pm |

cathy

The elected officals need to need to conduct themselves in a more mature fashion. The last time I checked I was still living in the UNITED States of America, not the battling parties of America! The bickering needs to stop NOW, my kids never whined and fought as much as they do. I wonder if they were out in the working world how long they would hold a job ? Their lack of performance would certainly get them fired! So grow up officals and do the job you were hired to do, or leave and let someone else come in and get the work done!

January 10, 2011 02:02 pm at 2:02 pm |

Marie

I'm all for "Cut as you go"... and I mean ALL for it. No loopholes. No proposal that uses this loophole has any credibility me. Republicans should be embarrassed, and Democrats should be parading this all over the media.

"Loophole alert: Republicans exempted the Bush tax cuts, a fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax and current estate tax levels from this requirement."

January 10, 2011 02:12 pm at 2:12 pm |

diridi

simple answer is just ask Reagan and bush, both the biggest idiots, and thugs of the nation....o.k, true, true, and true...